Sanctuary
by midniteeve12
Summary: Sarah is unsatisfied with her current life. She isolates herself and searches for an escape from her harsh reality. However what will happen when she discovers this so called sanctuary?
1. Prologue: Trepidation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth. If I did I wouldn't be writing this!**

The light filtered through the window, illuminating the dust floating off from the antique books and rising into the air. Sarah coughed and swayed her hand trying not to inhale any more dust into her lungs, as she flipped through the pages of a leather-bound book. She worked diligently to put the finishing touches her history paper that was due later in the week. The library was nearly deserted on an early Saturday morning, and if you dropped a pin it would reverberate off the oak-paneled walls and wooden shelves.

She sighed as she wrote the last sentence of her paper and gazed up at the clock, it was only a quarter after eleven. 'No way am I going home this early.' She thought to herself. Her father had taken Toby with him to visit her grandparents, and as much as she would love to see her grandparents, her busy school schedule would not permit it. This also meant that her stepmother was at home by herself, most likely cleaning the whole house like a manic as she tended to do during the first weekend of each month. Sarah and her step-mother never get along very well, although Sarah had grown to tolerate her much better now except there was still the occasional argument between them. She thought it best to stay out of her way most of the time, avoidance was a tactic that Sarah knew very well and used often. It seemed that she isolated herself from the outside world, only letting a select few in.

Quietly she sat up from the small table where she was working at and started to gather her belongings into her satchel. "Maybe I'll look for a good book to dive into for the rest of the day." She whispered to herself. She started perusing the aisles but she had either already read it before or it didn't catch her interest. Deeper and deeper she traveled into the library stacks of books, finally reaching the fiction section. A small scarlet red book caught her attention; it was looming above her head on the top shelf. She reached out to grab it but could not reach it, she bit her lipped and thought for a moment on how to solve her problem. She put her right foot on the second row and slowly lifted herself up, fortunately the shelves were securely fastened to the wall so it would not fall. Sarah snatched the book and jumped down victoriously with a small smile on her face. The book was dusty and she wiped it off with her sleeve trying to decipher the title. The letters on the cover were worn, only a dull shade of gold resided within the lightly carved text. "Oh you poor thing, all forgotten and abandoned about; no one's probably read you in along time" she said. One thing that Sarah loved was books, especially old ones. She had started collecting them after her grandmother gave her a copy of Grimm fairytales that had been passed down for over four generations. Sarah viewed books as treasures that offered an escape from reality even if it was only temporary.

She walked over to the window and raised the book up to the sun, hoping the light would help reveal the title. She squinted her eyes and deciphered the cursive font, the title spelled out L-A-B-Y-R-I-N-T-H. She gasped; something about that word triggered a torrent of butterflies in her stomach to start fluttering. There was something familiar about the book, like she has seen it before long ago. She was overwhelmed by a feeling of deju va. Her breathing became shallow and it felt as if the walls were going to close in on her. Swiftly she dropped the book and raced out of the library, unsure of her destination. Never noticing the dark eyes of the white owl perched outside on a tree branch witnessing her every move.


	2. Chapter 1: Bewilderment

**Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth. If I did I wouldn't be writing this!**

Sarah ran as if her life depended on it, and in her current state of mind it did. The scenery became nothing but a blurred image as she distanced herself from the library. All of her senses were heightened and panic had taken over her.

Finally she collapsed on the ground, exhausted from running, panting trying to catch her breath. She laid back on the grass, attempting to register her surroundings. The tall, thick oak tree branches loomed above her, and she heard the sound of water casually splashing up against the shore. She shifted her weight and lifted the upper part of her body in order to get a better vantage point. Her eyes scanned the immediate area; finally it dawned on her that she was at the park.

Carefully she rose to her feet, and padded softly over to a white, pristine stone bench and sat down. Grabbing a bottle of water out of her satchel, she guzzled the whole thing down in one minute flat. She leaned back, using her hands to support her weight and shut her eyes. She concentrated on her breathing and relaxed for a moment, in attempt to sort out the overwhelming experience.

"It was just an old book, nothing more" She thought to herself. "It probably just looks familiar because of all those antique books I collect" convincing herself that she was not insane. "I've been cooped up in that library for too long" she said to herself. She stood up and began walking around the trail in the park. "Some fresh air will do me good."

Sarah navigated her way down a hill and into a small wooded area, nature had soothed her nerves. Whenever she felt anxious or restless she would take a hike in the woods and let her worries float away into the atmosphere.

She passed an elderly couple; their arms intertwined together, a smile on their weathered faces. Sarah smiled back and nodded her head in acknowledgement as if to say "good afternoon". She carried on starting to realize that besides the couple strolling away, the woods were desolate.

Ever since she was a young teenager, she had journeyed through these woods. She was never scared or frightened by them; however the feeling in the pit of her stomach began to creep up on her, transforming her beloved enchanting woods into a threatening forest with a monster lurking behind each tree.

A loud noise erupted overhead, she spun around trying to find the source of the sound only to encounter a white owl with its broad wings spread getting ready to land. "What the hell is an owl doing flying around in the middle of the day? Aren't they supposed to be nocturnal creatures?" she questioned herself. It landed on a nearby branch and fixed its dark, foreboding eyes upon the girl. To Sarah it felt as if the owl wanted to devour her, it was stalking its prey.

Fed up with all the strange events that had plagued her this morning, she promptly followed her footsteps out of the woods. "I'd rather deal with Irene than experience anymore odd occurrences." She muttered to herself.

She opened the front door, and silently made her way up the staircase and to her room. However, her stepmother appeared out of the living room a white apron tied across her waist and a dust cloth clutched in her hand. "I thought you were going to be at the library all afternoon" Irene stated.

"I finished early" Sarah simply replied.

"Do you think you can lend a hand and clean up Toby's room?" inquired the older woman.

"Sure."

It would take her mind off today's events. Besides sometimes it was easier to just help her stepmother then by chastised and admonished later on for not pulling her weight within the household.

She climbed the remaining stairs, and entered Toby's room. He was a toddler now and as so refused to pick up his toys or clothes. His room looked as if a hurricane had tore across the floor. Sarah gingerly bent over picking up scattered items here and there, throwing them into the toy chest and closet.

Irene appeared in the door way, her arms crossed as she examined Sarah's work. "Not bad, but I want you to rearrange Toby's dresser, I need you to put the socks in the top drawer so he can't keep pulling them out."

Sarah nodded turning her back on Irene and rolled her eyes, as much as she loved her little brother, he was still a little scamp trying to pull tricks on people and Irene let him get away with anything.

"Oh, I'm making meatloaf for dinner tonight." Her stepmother added as she disappeared down the hallway. Sarah gritted her teeth and huffed. She absolutely detested meatloaf and Irene was quite aware of that but still insist on serving it to her. It was those kinds of subtle things that irritated Sarah, but she would not let it faze her.

Sarah had built up a thick skin when it came to dealing with Irene, it wasn't that she was a bad person only that she just didn't understand Sarah or even attempt to. Irene would chatter on about how when she was a girl, she had a date every weekend and was voted prom queen in high school. Sarah was just not that type of person and would never fit into that mold no matter how much her stepmother pushed her. Sarah had become desensitized to Irene's abrasive comments; she was completely able to tune her out.

After re-organizing Toby's dresser, she went to her room deciding on skipping dinner and small talk with Irene. She peered into her mirror on her vanity table; dark circles resided underneath her eye lids. She opened the drawer for some cream to help remedy the symptom from lack of sleep and stress. She reached in to find the small jar but was unable to locate it so she pulled the drawer out even more. Her eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets at what she saw, there within her vanity drawer laid the small crimson book which she had previously thrown to the ground at the library.


	3. Chapter 2: Anguish

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth

**Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth. If I did I wouldn't be writing this!**

**Author's note: Thanks to HazlgrnLizzy for informing on what Sarah's stepmother's possible names are. I decided to go with Irene…I edited the last chapter so there is no confusion.**

**Also thank you to all those who read my story! I honestly thought no one would really be interested but after receiving such a warm reception, I can't wait to write more. Anyway Enjoy!**

Sarah leapt out of her chair, distancing herself from the strange book. She cautiously extended her hand out to touch the book, to see if it was actually real and not some delusion. As she lightly touched the hard cover of the book a light scratching against her door could be heard. Her insides twisted as she approached the door, afraid of what waited behind it. She turned the handle and slightly pushed back the door. A shabby sheep dog sat patiently in the hallway. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh it's only you Merlin. Come on in boy."

The dog rushed past the girl, jumping up onto her bed to take a nap. She felt more secure with her dog around to protect her from any impending harm.

She returned to the book, again gingerly turning over the cover as if something horrible lurked behind the pages. Nothing happened as she flipped to the first page, scribbled out in faded black ink was the title Labyrinth. "That's strange there's no author." She mused to herself. Flipping to the next page she begun to read the opening sentence:

_"A young dark-haired girl stood upon the staircase ducking into the shadows as she peered down at the scenario before her. Her mother and father were engaged in another argument, screaming at each other, anger gleaming in both of their eyes. The young girl knew this was the last straw as her father marched away to his study, where sure enough he would pour himself a glass of brandy and listen to his classical records. _

_The young girl's heart had begun to crack as her family begun to unravel before her, her mother cast her eyes on the girl, aware of her presence. She turned away and walk to her bedroom to gather her belongings. The young girl would never be the same again."_

Sarah quickly shut the book. It was as if some one had poured her painful memories unto the page. "This book is definitely evil" she said as dropped it back on to her vanity. Afraid to continue on and revisit memories she had tried so hard to forget. Her eyes brimmed with tears as images came flooding into her mind. In a rage she picked up the book and hurled it out her opened window.

Collapsing on her bed, she folded her arms and moved her down as she sobbed. Her heart felt as if some one was rubbing salt into her mending wounds. A wave of desperation washed over and in that moment she truly felt abandoned and alone.

Merlin watched his mistress weep, he scouted up next to her in an attempt to comfort her. He prodded his cold nose against her cheek, she raised her head. Instinctually, her hands flew up to her eyes rubbing away the tears. The familiar urge to run overcame her as she grabbed the leash and hooked it around Merlin's collar.

The pair rushed down the stairs past the kitchen where Irene sat eating meatloaf and some sort of vegetable. She casually glanced up as she watched the evening news. "Taking Merlin for a walk, he's getting restless." Sarah said as she stopped to explain herself.

"Fine, whatever" Irene said disinterest, she was not fond of Sarah's pet and companion. However, if the dog could talk he would say the feeling was mutual.

She strolled through the streets, trying to find a respite from her reoccurring memories of a past she would most rather like to forget.

Through the pair's ambling, they had reached the park, a place where Sarah usually took Merlin to play and run around in. Deciding to forgo any more bizarre incidents she attempted to cross the street. Merlin had other ideas. He pulled against the tether, trying to direct his owner to where he wanted to go. Sarah could not hold on as her hands cramped up, involuntarily she loosened her grip. That was it all it took as Merlin shot off into the park.

"Damn dog!" she shouted to herself, as she sprinted across the street and towards the park's entrance. She dashed down the path, Merlin in front of her running on full speed towards Sarah's favorite spot.

After maybe five minutes of chasing after Merlin, the dog stopped abruptly. He looked up into the sky and sat down upon the grass. Sarah's eyes followed his gaze but there was nothing in the sky.

Approaching the dog, a gust of wind blew as if warning her to look behind her. She heard the recognizable sound of flapping wings beating against the air. It was the owl, the one she had seen early in the day. His white form melding into the moonlight, his feathers seemed to be illuminated.

Sarah closed her eyes as the light intensified, even with her eyes shut; she could sense a tremendous amount of light glistening before her. Merlin began to bark at the spectacle before him, his only reaction was to protect his owner.

"Hush now pup" a gruff voiced called out to Merlin. Sarah was afraid to open her eyes, she wanted to flee but her body would not move, an invisible force cementing her into place.

"Hello, Sarah" the male voice greeted her. "It's been a while, too long perhaps. I am quite certain that you have forgotten me by now, but I haven't forgotten about you. No, you have always been on my mind ever since the last time we met."

Sarah slowly opened her eyes, before her stood a tall masculine figure clad in dark clothes. He looked almost human except for his eerie luminous mismatched blue eyes; they glowed as he intently watched her.

"Who are you?" Sarah quietly asked, too frightened to do anything else.

"Me?" He pointed to himself, "I'm the nightmare that keeps you up at night and the answer to all your prayers."


	4. Chapter 3: Revelation

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth. If I did I wouldn't be writing this!**

"Wha…What?!" Sarah stuttered as she stood there, dumbfounded by the answer the mysterious man had provided.

The man smirked, his eyes gleaming in satisfaction, "Never thought I could make you speechless, Sarah." He sauntered over to her, "Now tell me you don't remember me even in the faintest?"

Sarah scratched her head in confusion, befuddled by the yet another of his questions. Casting her gaze upon him, she inquired "Am I supposed to know you?"

"Well we do have a history together" the man casually replied.

Sarah's cheek began to blush at the implications. He chuckled at her flustered reaction, "Well introductions are in order, I am Jareth, Supreme Ruler of the Underground and the Almighty Omniscient King of the Goblins."

Sarah stood still, registering the man's name. "Jareth" She whispered within her mind. Her heart paced quicken at the very mention of his name. It felt as if she had met this person a long time ago. A hazy image of his face floated into her mind but she was unable to recall any further details.

"It's not surprising you can not remember me. You've been Aboveground so long it's caused amnesia. With no magic here to sustain your memories of the Underground, you can not fully remember the Labyrinth." Jareth commented.

"Labyrinth…does this have something do with that horrible book?"

"You received my little present for you."

Sarah thought her head was about to explode.

"A bit of glamour, to reveal the truth."

Sarah balled her fists in anger preparing to strike if she was pushed any further.

Jareth glared down at her. "I had to get your attention some how, and you know my flair for the theatrics. Besides it is not good for you to bottle up your feelings, a little aggression is healthy."

"What do you want with me?" Sarah stated, exasperated with Jareth's antics.

"Ah, ah, ah. The correct question is what do you want with me." Jareth countered.

"But I don't even know who you are!"

"Are you really that daft, Sarah? I just introduced myself to you."

The dark-haired girl backed away slowly as a mixture of anger and fear wavered in her abdomen.

"That's it, I'm out of here!" She spun around on her heel, motioning for Merlin to come and follow her.

Irritated, Jareth swiftly stride up to her causing her to recede until her backside brushed up against the rough bark of a tree trunk. His arms extended on both side of her head, Jareth had encircled and she was unable to escape. "We have business to attend to; you can not leave until I'm done with you."

"Why can't you just leave me alone and go back where you came from?" Sarah murmured.

"As much as I would love to return to the Underground, I am unable to."

The girl shot him a bewildered look.

He brought a finger up to his lips as he revealed, "You sent for me, unknowingly or not. You are the one who brought me here."

Sarah shook her head in denial, "But there is nothing wrong with me!"

Jareth cocked his head slightly, examining her with his stare. "Maybe not on the outside; however, you're soul, the fire within you, is slowly fading out."

She glared down, she could no longer refute it. The numbness had overtaken Sarah's life causing her to lose the joy and passion she once had for life. Now her days seemed mundane and routine, she swore some times it felt as if she was reliving the same experience over and over again.

"It's about time you took responsibility for your life Sarah. This situation we are involved in is your fault. This is your mess, and now you have to lie in it." Jareth remarked as he stepped back.

There was another flash of light as the man evaporated in a whirl of white radiance.

Sarah collected herself as she summoned for Merlin, she grabbed his leash and tugged him along until he started following her.

She traversed back home, as her mind mulled over the conversation with this so-called Goblin King.

His parting words ringing in her ears, making it incapable for her to hide from the particular memory it trudged up from her consciousness.

Sarah sat down, rolling her head back as she gazed upon the full moon suspended in the midnight blue sky. The stars shined above her, bearing witness to her plight as they did so long ago…

_A young Sarah watched a shooting star, passing by the parlor window. "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." She pleaded softly, "I wish for mommy and daddy to get back together and live happily ever after like in the story book Nana gave me."_

_A loud thud erupted from the kitchen, Sarah whipped around and snuck down the hallway to find the source of the commotion. Her father stumbled in from his study searching for another bottle of liquor._

"_Where did you hide them, you little brat!" her father roared as he knocked into the refrigerator. He caught of glimpse of Sarah standing in the shadows of the doorway; he stalked over to her grabbing her tiny wrist in his massive hand._

"_Answer me!" He demanded._

"_I poured it down the sink, Daddy. I don't like how you act after you drink that stuff!" she retorted, her eyes brimming with tears as her wrist throbbed from her father's tightened grasp._

_He dragged her down the back stairs; the little girl struggled but could not pry loose from her father's hold. Robert kicked in the ajar cellar door, knowing full well that Sarah was terrified to be left alone down there. _

_He tossed her into the room and shut the door, "This is your mess, Sarah, and now you have to lie in it." _

_Sarah heard the sound of the turning lock and the bolt securing the door in place. "Daddy, please I'm sorry!" she implored. Yet the only reply Sarah got was the shuffle of his footsteps as he set off to his study where a bottle of peppermint schnops lay concealed in his desk. Sarah fell asleep in the dark, on a cold, dank floor as her father blasted Beethoven through the empty house._

**Author's Note: I hoped you enjoyed the chapter even if it was angst-ridden. I won't be able to update as quickly because my classes are back in session after my college closed temporarily. The longest I'd ever go without updating is a week; unless I have finals, but those are two weeks away. Also my muse is starting to dwindle a little bit, so a nice break helps get the creative juices flowing. Although reviews are very motivating too and feedback is greatly appreciated. **

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	5. Chapter 4: Reminiscent

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth

**Author's Note: I've been really busy lately due to the semester ending, many of my teachers packed in a lot of work the last two weeks of school because it had closed for a couple of days. However, I survived and completed all but one of my finals, so I was able to write another chapter. I don't know when the next chapter will be out but I don't want to rush things because then my muse runs out on me, plus I'm mostly writing this story as I go along. Oh and please excuse any spelling errors or grammar mistakes; I have to edit it myself. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth. If I did I wouldn't be writing this!**

Sarah wiped the tears from her eyes before it could escape and run down her cheek. She glanced at her watch; the hand loomed closer to twelve. "It's getting late. I better get home before Irene becomes suspicious." She stood up stretching her legs, as her bones cracked and creaked, settling into a new position after resting for so long.

She crossed through a row of houses, short cutting through the alley ways in order to get home faster. She climbed up a small hill, trudging her way past the tall grass and wildflowers. Quietly she approached the gate, opening it slowly to avoid the loud squeak of the hinges. She opened the back door, climbing up the rear staircase to her room. Sarah could hear the soft murmurs of the television from her step-mother's bed room. "She'll be falling asleep soon." The girl thought to herself.

Sarah lay down on her bed as her body was overcome with exhaustion. Her eyelids felt heavy and for the first time in a long while Sarah felt sleep wash over her, her limbs become like sandbags as she sunk into the covers of her bed. The sounds of the evening news became fainter as Sara drifted off into slumber.

The young child awoke on the cold cement floor, her body shivering for warmth. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to warm herself, she was clad only in a thin nightgown. A breeze swept in through the nearby cellar window, she gazed over to the sky. "It's not supposed to be like this." She whispered to herself.

She propped herself onto her feet and slowly tottered over to an old armchair buried beneath a heavy brown box. She grasped the sides of a box and pulled with all her might to clear the seat. The cardboard box fell with a thud as she attempted to pick it up. The flaps opened up as the box tipped over, revealing its contents as they splayed all over the floor. Old photos, journals, and books were scattered across the cellar, Sarah went to pick up the objects and place them back into the box.

The clouds floated past the moon, unblocking the beams of light. In the corner of the room, a glint caught the young Sarah's sight. Moonbeams poured into the room allowing Sarah to make her way through the clutter to collect the mysterious object. She crouched down to pick it up; she felt smooth, cool leather against her skin. It was a book, and an old one at that. She held it tight to her chest and made her way back to the stuffed arm chair, she pulled off the white dust sheet protecting the antique piece of furniture.

Sarah curled up onto the plush cushions and used to the white sheet as a makeshift blanket to keep her warm. She brought the book to her eye level and held it close to her face in order to read in the dim moonlight. The ornate lettering made it difficult to decipher, the book was filled with tiny font sized words. Sarah was unable to read anything except a few scattered phrases. She leafed through the pages, determining to find some pictures to entertain herself, struggling to read words beyond her level was rather boring to her.

They were a few illustrations of faraway places and bizarre creatures. Her eyes took in sights unseen, she kept on going becoming more interest as she skimmed through the book. She reached towards the middle of the book when she came across an image that completely captivated her. There on the page was a man, unlike any the girl had encountered in her life span. He possessed angled features, prominent cheek bones, but his most peculiar aspect was his eyes. They were mismatched, which was quite unsettling at first glance. His gaze almost seemed lifelike because of their intensity.

Sarah felt her stomach churn. She reluctantly turned the page and kept on observing the book. After another twenty minutes, she become tired and leaned onto the side of the chair, substituting it for a bed.

"Sssss"

A soft whisper stirred her from her twilight. Sarah quickly examined her surroundings, straining to hear the noise over the chirping of the crickets humming outside the house.

"Sssssssss"

The young girl became alarmed; she thought perhaps a snake had gotten into the cellar. She scrambled pulling the sheet off and stood up on the stuffed chair, trying in vain to seek the source of the strange hiss.

"aaaaaaaarrrrr"

The hair on the nape of her neck stood up as a cool wind shot past her, causing her very soul to shiver.

"aaaaahhhhhh"

It was unavoidable and undeniable; a voice was calling her name. Sarah had heard scary stories from her friends during slumber parties and such, but she never expected to be experiencing one. Frightened that a ghost would appear before her, she grabbed the white duster sheet and threw it over her head to block out her vision. She curled herself up into a ball, paranoid and too scared to fall back asleep. The dark haired girl stayed that way for the rest of the night, until the morning light came peeking through the window, illuminating the whole cellar.

She cautiously lowered the sheet and peered around the room for anything lurking in the shadows, only to find nothing waiting for her. The door knob rattled and she turned to face the door, her father had unlocked the door, for she heard the turning off the key and the lock unlatching. Her father cracked the door open and turned away to slink back to his hiding spot. He could not face what he had done to her last night.

Sarah jumped off the chair and scurried to her room, the one place where she felt safe. She pulled back the drapes and opened her blinds, permitting the light to permeate her room. She crawled into bed and proceeded to get some much needed sleep.


	6. Chapter 5: Excursion

**Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth! **

The sunshine filtered through the window illuminating the bedroom in a pale reddish orange glow. The brightness over-sensitized Sarah's eyes, causing her to stir within her bed. She turned over, her back now against the window and burrowed deeper into the covers. Yet the position change still did not block out the light. She sighed, glaring up at the ceiling. "I won't be able to fall back asleep, mine as well get up."

Propping her upper body, she slowly lifted herself out of bed and rose to her feet. She peered out the window watching the sun rise high in the sky above her. "It must be around seven o'clock" she thought, searching for her digital alarm clock to confirm her suppositions.

She sat down at her vanity table; her eyes looked bloodshot and weary. The skin appeared pale, creating a sallow, gaunt look. The girl pushed back her hair as she stood and rummaged through her dresser, pulling out a vintage t-shirt and a pair of comfy jeans.

She leisurely opened her door and snuck down the hall and descended the rear staircase. She entered the main level bathroom, so the pipes would not wake her stepmother with their rattling. A spray of cold water startled her, she shrieked a bit even though she braced herself for the impact. The water swiftly transformed into a comforting hot stream. She grabbed the shampoo bottle and began to lather her scalp until a mass of soapy foam dripped onto her face.

Sarah closed her eyes as she relaxed. This is one of the rare moments were she felt at peace. Once again her sleep was interfered; she tossed and turned all night, unable to sustain the black void of sleep. Sarah never had dreams anymore, she did when she was little but as she grew older, nothing happened while she slept. She would close her eyes and only witness darkness engulfing her; at least that is all she remembered when she awoke in the morning.

She rinsed her hair and added the conditioner to it, waiting a minute before she washed it completely out. Sarah twisted the knob and shut the water off. Steam shrouded the bathroom causing her to reach out blindly seeking the large terry cloth towel. Successfully, she wrapped the towel around her body and wiped off the steam that clouded the mirror with her hand. She stared back at her reflection, the last twenty-four hours seemed so surreal. She half expected that she might be going mad, but it all felt familiar to her. She laughed at herself, she needed to get away from this house.

Sarah receded to her room and quickly dressed, slipping on her worn gym shoes. She grabbed her brush and swept her hair back in a messy ponytail, in order to keep it out of her face.

She traveled down to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of fresh coffee, as two pieces of bread cooked in the toaster. Sarah ate and softly whistled for Merlin. The dog was curled up on his bed off to the garage, where Irene forced him to sleep. Merlin poked his head up and blinked his sleepy eyes. After stretching his four legs, he strode urgently to Sarah's side. She jotted down a note for her stepmother, Irene hated when Sarah left without disclosing her whereabouts.

The dark hair girl took hold of her car keys dangling from the hook on the wall. She clasped on to Merlin's leash and journeyed down the pathway out to the driveway. She unlocked her car door, allowing Merlin to jump into the passenger seat. Likewise, she slipped into the front seat and inserted the key into the ignition. All Irene heard during her rousing daze was a car starting and speeding away down the street.

The car stereo blasted the music through out the entire car. Sarah gingerly rolled down her window, the air rushed past her face cooling her as the outside temperature steadily rose higher in the mid-morning sun. Merlin stuck his head out the window, his tongue sticking out of his mouth as enjoyed the car ride.

After about an hour of traveling the car rounded the corner and Sarah pulled to the side of the road, parking her car. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, she rotated around to inspect the back seat but nothing was there. Shaking her head, she opened the door and got out along with Merlin, they walked together in unison towards the house.

Sarah smiled as she arrived closer to the cherished site of her only happy, treasured childhood memories. She knocked on the heavy pine wood door, patiently waiting to be let into the house. A wrinkled face of an old woman peeped out from the other side of the door. The elderly woman returned the girl smile and greeted her, beckoning her to enter the house.

"Hi grandma" Sarah said.

Sarah's grandmother was named, Olivia, she was a short woman in her early seventies. She possessed a heart shape face, with kind emerald eyes, and medium length, light gray hair swept back in a bun.

"I wasn't expecting you, this early." Olivia stated.

"I felt kind of jittery, you know cabin fever. I really needed to get of the house." Sarah replied.

Olivia nodded and led the girl to the seating room, hurrying off to the kitchen to fetch some tea and refreshments. She returned with two cups and some gingersnap cookies. Sarah's grandmother threw one of them to Merlin who promptly caught it in his mouth.

The two conversed for a while, discussing the routine topics. Sarah felt her spine tingle and her body became numb for a moment, she went rigid.

Olivia examined the girl, "What's wrong?"

Sarah's mouth opened but for a moment nothing came out, she cleared her throat and in a voice slightly foreign to her she asked, "Grandmother, can I take a look in the cellar. I was looking for some old photo albums belong to my mother."

Olivia was startled by her question, Sarah hardly mention her mother. "Sure" she responded and left the room to grab the key for the basement door.


	7. Chapter 6: Clandestine

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth.

Author's Note: I've been busy lately helping my parents out with renovations at our cottage. I wanted to get a chapter out before I leave for my trip. I'm going to California for three weeks! I've never been and I'm really excited. I'll be staying with my cousin and she said that I could use her computer to update. So expect me to do some writing on my long plane ride. Also, check out my cousin's fanfic account because she is awesome, /u/1467063/

Olivia returned to where Sarah was waiting, patiently sitting on the small couch staring off into space. Olivia cleared her throat as she approached drawing Sarah's attention, Sara mechanically arose from her seat. She followed her grandmother down the long light-filled hallway to the back of the house.

The entered the end of the corridor where an olden wooden door stood, Olivia inserted the key into the antique lock and carefully turned the brass door knob. The two entered the dark cellar, Olivia blindly searched for the chain that turned the only light bulb on. Sarah followed her down the stairs to the corner of the cellar, where a bunch of boxes and crate stood piled on top of each other.

Olivia and Sarah searched through some scattered boxes until they uncovered one labeled PICTURES in big capitol letters written in a thick, black sharpie. Suddenly, a loud ringing erupted from the upper portion of the house. Olivia shot up and dismissed herself, "Pardon me dear but I need to go get that."

As her grandmother went to answer the phone, Sarah pulled the flap of the box opened and cautiously peeked inside. She glanced through the contents until she found a dark blue photo album, adorned with silver lettering. Sarah read the inscription, 'Precious Memories'. The dark-haired girl laughed in spite of herself at those words. Nothing ever in her past was precious or worth remembering for that matter.

She turned over the cover and looked at the pictures that lie within their pages. There were images of past family reunions, vacations, birthdays, childhood milestones, recitals, and other important events. Her hands rushed through the pages as if her very life depended on it. Until she reached the end of the book, on the last page was a picture of a young Sarah sitting in her grandmother's garden, unaware that the picture was being taken. She was huddled over digging a hole into the ground, burying something in the dirt, soil was strewn about and her hands were dark and sullied. At first glance she thought it was some flowers or vegetable seeds, yet as she moved the photograph album closer to her face she discovered it was a minute, little wooden box…

She closed the miniscule metal clasp on the box and set it aside in the deep green grass. She found her spade and began to dig in the dirt by her in an abandon plot of land in her grandmother's garden. Olivia separated a special area just for Sarah to plant some things. When the spade was not fast enough, she quickly tossed it aside as well. She used her tiny hands to scoop out the soil and widen the hole into the earth. More rapidly, she dug until it was deep enough to hide the box and have it remain undiscovered and undisturbed.

The young girl picked up the box and held it in her hands for a moment and stared at it. A scowl crossed her innocent lips and with as much strength she could muster, Sarah hurled the box into the ground and swiftly poured in the excess dirt to refill the hole …

Sarah stood up and automatically shut the photo album, a cloud of dust sprung out and engulfed her, causing her to cough and swipe it away with her hand. She shot up the stairs, breezing past Merlin who sat waiting for his mistress to return. The dog jumped up and he too followed her outside, his tail wagging in excitement and anticipation. Olivia watched her granddaughter pass through the kitchen, unable to go after her because she was on the phone conversing with an ill friend.

She raced over to the abandoned plot of land, since school and other activities she didn't have time to dedicate to her former little garden. She fell to her knees, rolled up her sleeves, and proceeded to use her bare hands to dig into the dirt. Sarah was unsure of the exact spot but she did not care, she was driven to find the box, in the pit of her stomach she knew it was crucial.

Merlin cocked his head as he witness Sarah burrowing into the earth, within two seconds of inspection, he too was using his paws to help out. Dirt went flying in all directions, ruining Sarah's clothes and clumping into Merlin's shaggy fur.

After about a foot of digging in a narrow hole, her hands touched something solid. She grabbed hold of the object and indeed it was the box, she gently rubbed away the dirt and attempted to clean her sullied hands on the side of her jeans. The tiny clasped was rusted shut, and she could not break it with her hands.

"Damn it!" she screamed in frustration. She heard Olivia opening the back door and hurriedly she hid the small box within her front pocket.

Olivia looked shocked and bewildered, "What's going on here?" she questioned.

"Oh I was…" Sarah faltered for a moment trying to think up an excuse. "I was looking for an old pencil box I buried as a sort of treasure chest. I buried some mementos from my childhood and now I want to them back."

Olivia narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Sarah's response and her facial expression, trying to establish fact from fiction. The grandmother could tell she was lying to some degree but decided to let her be, the girl had been under enough pressure lately.

"And have you found it?" she inquired.

"No it looks like I didn't search the right place. Oh well, maybe next time." She sighed, rolling the spare soil back into the ground, patting it down to smooth out the area.

Sarah accompanied Olivia back in the house and spent an enjoyable afternoon with grandmother, meanwhile the little wooden box burning in her pocket.

As soon as Sarah was in her car, she drove to a secluded spot to examine the box and see what was inside. She pulled up onto the shoulder of a country road, where no other cars seemed to pass by. Sarah took the keys out of the ignition and used her key chain bottle opener to pry the clasp loose. After five minutes of struggling with it, the box nudged open.

The dark haired woman smiled in triumph, slowly opening the box afraid to discover what was inside. "I feel like Pandora, my curiosity is going to release something horrible into the world." She thought. When the light entered the inside of the box, Sarah gasped in surprise. Tucked away inside was a crumpled piece of paper, folded into a small cube. She carefully grabbed the piece of paper and began to unfurl it.


	8. Chapter 7: Perplex

Sarah's fingers smoothed over the paper trying vainly to work out the creases and wrinkles. She squinted her eyes as she examined the faded text. The words were indistinguishable to her, as if they were in a foreign ancient language. The paper was yellow tinted and looked aged as well.

"What does this have to do with me" she wondered to herself. She waved the parchment in the air and cried out in frustration.

"It's a step closer to fixing the problem" a male voice called out behind her.

Sarah twisted her head to face him, she quickly shrieked in surprise at the sudden intrusion. Merlin went to lunge at the intruder but with a quick sway of his hand, the dog came to a complete halt.

"Why are you in my car?" she asked.

"Don't you need help deciphering the document." Jareth countered.

Sarah lowered her eyes and his lips curled into a small grin of satisfaction.

"Ah, I remember this quite well."

"If you know what it is than tell me!" Sarah demanded, for her patience was growing very thin and she was in no mood for the Goblin King's antics.

"It is a written agreement." he told her.

Sarah's face emanated confusion, her eyes narrowed and her forehead scrunched up. Jareth glanced at her for a second as she registered the new information. "Don't do that to your lovely face, it makes you look like a sourpuss."

Sarah rolled her eyes at him, "What does it state exactly?"

"I cannot tell you that just now, you have to something important to do beforehand...remember." he informed her.

With that he vanished, Sarah peered around the vehicle but could not find a trace of him. She grabbed the paper from the backseat and started the engine; she proceeded to go home.

She could no longer avoid her stepmother as she entered the backdoor located in the kitchen. The table was set for two, and a pot of spaghetti sauce simmered on the stove and noodles boiled as well. She went up to her room and slid the small box and paper into her side drawer of her vanity table.

A plateful of food awaited Sarah as she returned to the dining room. It smelled absolutely appetizing, her stomach growled as she seated herself at the table. Irene sat across from her, gingerly pouring herself a glass of red wine for dinner.

Sarah paced herself as she started to dine. Irene began to talk about her day. Every mundane detail was ingrained in the dark-haired girl's head. She nodded politely and interjected the occasional "oh really" and "yes". Her mind was evidently elsewhere but Irene prattled on, not noticing. Her stepmother never noticed anything outside her limited realm. Sarah reflected that perhaps she too was wearing blinders, only seeing what she wanted to see.

As the two finished eating, Irene stood up dismissing herself from the table.

"You can wash the dishes." commanded Irene.

"Sure." Sarah curtly replied.

Irene retired to her bedroom, she would probably read her scandal sheets and fall asleep.

Sarah filled the sink with lukewarm water and liquid soap. Sarah carefully cleansed the dirty dishes and silverware with a scrub brush. She put them on the drying rack and left them.

Quietly she climbed up the stairs and acquired the box and piece of paper. Skulking past her parent's bedroom on tiptoes, she wandered down to her father's study to examine the parchment more closely.

She searched through his top drawer trying to find a magnify glass to analyze the strange symbols upon the parchment. Sarah sat back in her father's leather office chair while scrutinizing the puzzling figures.

After an hour she gave up when nothing could be detected. She glanced at the clock, the hand steadily gathered closer to midnight.

"Oh crap, I have school tomorrow. I need to get some sleep." she reminder herself.

She got up and stretched her legs which were becoming numb. Reluctantly, she went to bed. Sarah put the supposed contract back into the container and slipped it underneath her pillow for safekeeping.

She closed her eyes and prepared for another dreamless night. This time, however, Sarah did witness something when she drifted off into slumber.

A young Sarh sat in the antique chair, sulking away in the cellar. Despite being unsettled by it, a mysterious compulsion overrode the fear. She was drawn to the area and late at night after her father finally passed out at his desk, Sarah would sneak into the cellar and read her old books.

Yet tonight, Sarah did not feel like reading. She sought comfort in the form of solitude, and the best place for that was her secret nook.

Her father's snore reverberated through out the whole house. The little girl sighed in despair, "How did it turn out like this?" she muttered to herself. At that moment a tremendous longing overcame her, in her short life Sarah had never experienced this degree of desperation or want.

"I want my mother back!" she cried out into the night, a low howling wind carried her voice off into the distance.

"Sarah" a voice hissed out from the shadows.

Frightened the small girl darted underneath the crocheted blanket covering her lap.

"Who's there?" questioned a muffled Sarah.

"The solution to your problems, my dear." a male voiced called out to her, this time it came out closer.

Meekly, Sarah poked her head out from underneath the blanket. Only a faint outline of a man could be seen.

"You can make my mother come back?" she pleaded hopefully.

"I'm sorry, love, but my abilities can not extend that far. However, I can provide you with a new mother. One that will bake you cookies, take care of you when your ill, tuck you in at night, and even make your father happy again."

Sarah's eyes lit up at the prospect, her dad would be well again.

Sarah nodded her head and consented, "What do I need to do?"

"All you simply have to do is an exchange. One thing for another." he responded.

Sarah looked skeptical. Even though she was young, she was not stupid. "If were going to have a trade then I want proof. You won't trick me like those demons and monsters in the fairytales."

"A sly little thing you are. I did not expect that." The man said.

Out of thin air the silhouette pulled out a piece of paper and inked quill.

"I present to you a contract, written proof of our deal."

"And what do you want from me in return?" she countered.

"It's quite trivial. You give me your dreams." he nonchalantly replied.

"Mmm...my dreams?" she stuttered, befuddled.

"Why do you need dreams? Do you even remember them when you wake up? What good are they when you can actually can have a fantastic reality?" he sneered.

"I guess you are right." the young girl surmised.

"Then all you need to do is sign here." he said pointing to a blank line. The parchment and the quill floated to her.

Sarah scrawled her name on the piece of paper. The chicken scratch writing magically glowed, slowly transforming into peculiar, odd symbols.

Sarah could see the man's teeth gleaming with a predatory smirk as he grabbed the piece of paper. The man took the feather quill and jotted down his autograph.

Sarah caught a glimpse of his signature, there on the other line was the name, Jareth. Her young eyes watched it mysteriously transmuted into an ancient indistinguishable text.


	9. Chapter 8: Ailing

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth. If I did I wouldn't be writing this.**

**Author's Note: I've been extremely busy traveling so far this summer. I spent three weeks in California and then was whisked away to Michigan as soon I as got home. However, I will update more often because so far my schedule is clear and leaves me with plenty of spare time to write. I now actually have an idea where this story is going and have the next chapter planned out so expected it soon. Although reviews are very motivating though…hint hint **

Sarah's eyes burst opened as her pain invaded her body. The truth was unbearable.

'How could I have been so foolish?' she thought to herself as she huddled into the fetal position. She clutched her stomach as waves of spasms swelled through her.

She carefully stood up and paced towards the bathroom, as bile rose in her throat. Sarah stooped over the toilet and proceeded to render the contents of last night's dinner into the porcelain bowl.

A light tapping came in from the wooden bathroom door, "Sarah, are you alright?" Irene's voice called out.

She sighed as she the pain subsided just a little, "No, I think I have the flu." Sarah responded.

"Well than I suppose I'll call the school and inform them that you won't be coming in today." Irene stated as she walked off.

Sarah crawled into bed and threw the covers of herself, she started shivering, the room felt like ice.

Irene cracked the door opened and checked in on Sarah, "Everything is taken care of, and I have to leave for work. I'll be home around five o'clock. Just take it easy until then."

Sarah heard the car engine start up and fade as it traveled off into the distance. When all was in the clear, Sarah got out of bed and walked down the stairs to the living room and lay down on the couch. She searched around for the remote and turned on the television, flipping the channels until she came across an old black and white movie.

She tilted her head back on the pillow and yet again fell into a fitful slumber…

The young girl watched the document lose its eerie glow and fall to her feet.

"Now that I have what I wanted, I'll be leaving." Jareth said to her.

Sarah stared at him as he stepped forward from the shadows; he seemed to glimmer like the moon.

"How long will it take till I get my new mom?" she questioned.

"By the end of the year you will have a new mother." He responded back and disappeared as quickly as he came.

The ringing of the telephone awoke her from her nap, Sarah bolted up and a wave of nausea overcame her as she reached out for the phone. She glanced at the caller I.D. and recognized the familiar number.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hi sweetie!" her father replied. "Irene told me you weren't feeling well, so I called to check in on you."

"I'm feeling a little better after sleeping for a bit" she responded.

"Well Irene called the doctor for you and you have an appointment first thing in the morning." Robert informed her.

"Okay, Dad."

"Now go back to sleep and heat up some instant chicken soup in the microwave if you get hungry."

Sarah hung up the phone and put it back on its cradle; she re-positioned herself on the couch and tried to make herself comfortable again. The television hummed softly in the background creating white noise to lull her off to sleep.

Sarah gazed around the room and caught sight of an old family picture. A younger version of herself stood next to her father as Irene sat next to them. All three of them huddled together on a snowy winter day. They were all swaddled in thick coats, and bundled up in scarves and hats, flakes falling down upon them, the cool wind whipping through the air causing a red glow upon their cheeks. They smiled at the camera and for a brief moment they seemed like a perfect family.

She snuggled into her pillow and fatigue overcame her yet again…

A young Sarah stared at the clock counting down the minutes until her father came to pick her up from his meeting. Olivia was preoccupied in the kitchen washing dishes, allowing Sarah to sit and ponder for a bit.

Everything was changing and so quickly for her. Robert finally realized he had a problem and started seeking help for his alcoholism. She was able to spend more quality time with her dad and could not wait until tonight. Her father said that he had a very special surprise for her.

Sarah nearly jumped through the door as Robert's car pulled up in front of Olivia's house. She stood on the porch, rocking back and forth on her heels in excitement. Robert came and hugged his daughter and drove her back to their house.

He told Sarah to wash up and put on in her nice floral printed dress; they were having company over for dinner. Sarah was confused because they never had guests but she did as her father told her.

Sarah stood in her bedroom examining her reflection when the doorbell rang. Sarah ran to the top of the stairs and peered down through the railing to inspect the mysterious visitor.

Robert opened the door and let in a strange woman. She was of medium stature, possessed sandy blonde hair that hung to her shoulders and icy blue eyes. This woman was the antithesis to her mother.

Sarah's father suavely took this woman's fingers and gracefully kissed her dainty hand. It was then that it hit Sarah that things were about to change even more dramatically. She smiled to herself as she saw her father's eye light up and the corners of his mouth tilt upwards. It felt like an eternity since she had seen her father this happy. Sarah watched them and instantly knew, "This is my new mother." She whispered to herself.

Sarah grew close to her during the first few months and enjoyed spending time with Irene and her dad. She was thrilled when they announced their engagement. The wedding was spectacular and Irene made sure to include Sarah in every aspect of it. She got to be the flower girl and took her job seriously as she marched down the aisle carefully throwing rose petal on the ground.

Sarah awoke again with a slight smile on her face from the reminiscing dreams. The front door creaked opened and in popped Irene. She handed Sarah a medicine and bag and directed Sarah to head straight up to bed, and that is exactly what she did.


End file.
